Bergamo is a historic city in the northern Italian region of Lombardy, situated about 40km northeast of Milan and at the foothills of the snow-capped peaks of the Bergamo Alps. The town is composed of two distinct parts: the medieval Citta Alta (or Upper Town) perched on a hill-top and surrounded by 16th century walls, […]

It’s no secret that Bologna, the capital of the Italian region of Emilia Romagna, is one of my favourite cities in Europe. There’s just something about this city that keeps drawing me back. Yes, there are the obvious reasons like the amazing food and historic architecture but I can’t deny that Bologna has a special […]

Travel is an endless source of inspiration (and wisdom) and I find nothing more inspiring than meeting people during my travels who are so passionate about what they do. On my recent trip to Reggio Emilia [map], I had the opportunity to meet a crowd of people who share one passion: Lambrusco. For those of […]

Dozza (map) is a hill-top medieval village about a 30-minute drive south of Bologna. Listed as one of the most beautiful villages in Italy (“Borghi più belli d’Italia”), Dozza is dominated by an imposing fortress, Rocca Sforzesca, and consists of a main street that circles the village in an elongated form. The village is best […]

The Valle d’Itria or Itria Valley is situated in the heart of the region of Puglia, in the ‘heel’ of the Italian peninsula (map). This area is characterised by charming villages, historic towns, wooded slopes, vineyards, mile after mile of olive groves and the intriguing ‘trulli’ (whitewashed, cone-roofed houses) that dot the countryside. The trulli […]

Gosh! Another year comes to a close and another begins! 2014 was a wonderful travel year for me. I chalked up tens of thousands of miles, visiting twelve countries on five continents. In my New Year’s post at the start of 2014, I wrote: I prefer to see each new year as a blank canvas, waiting […]

I love Sundays in Bologna‘s historic centre. With the streets empty of traffic, pedestrians and cyclists reign supreme on the ancient cobblestones. Locals come out in full force to shop, eat and wander around the markets. The Piazza Maggiore and the adjacent Piazza del Nettuno (with its famous Fountain of Neptune) are the focal points, […]

Modena is a historic town in the Emilia Romagna region in Italy. The town is perhaps most famous as the home of some of Italy’s most famous automotive brands such as Ferrari and Maserati – a tour of the Motor Valley is a must! – but foodies will most likely associate Modena with balsamic vinegar […]

Many people thought I was in Turkey when I posted photos of my stay in Gallipoli (map) earlier this summer. I wasn’t. In fact, I was in Puglia, in southern Italy! Gallipoli in Turkey is especially famous as the site of the ‘Gallipoli Campaign’, a battle during World War I, not to be confused with […]

My doorbell rings. I open the door to find a good friend of mine standing there with a big grin on his face and a bag casually slung around his shoulder. Minutes later, he’s settled at my dining table and he reaches into his bag. “We’re going to Bologna!”, he announces. “You’ve been talking so […]